Trousers-stretcher



No. 608,295 Patented Aug. 2, I898.

M. F. MAHONEY.

TROUSERS STRETCHER.

(Application filed Nov. 16, 1897.

(No Model.) 2 Shuts-Sheet I.

- Patented Aug. 2, I898. M. F. MAHONEY. A TROUSERSSTRETCHEB.

(Application filed Nov 16, 1897.)

2 Sheefs-Shaei 2.

(No Model.)

Fries.

PATENT .MICHAEL F. MAIIONEY,OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TROUSERS-STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,295, dated August 2, 1898.

Application filed November 16, 1897. Serial No. 658,727. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MICHAEL F. MAHONEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Trousers Stretchers and Hangers, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to a new and usefulimprovement in trousers stretchers and hangers, and has for its object to provide an exceedingly simple, cheap, and effective device of this description which is well adapted to suspend a pair of trousers by clamping the bottoms thereof and hanging them upside down, thereby permitting the weight thereof to bring about the. desired action of stretching, which will maintain the creases and take the set from the legs; and a further object of my invention is to provide for the folding of v the hanger, so as to facilitate the storing or shipping thereof.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, and then specifioallydesignated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention. appertains may understand how to make and use the same, the construction and operation will-now be described in detail, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 represents my improvement in use, a pair of trousers being suspended therefrom; Fig. 2, an edge view of the device, showing the method of grippingthe trousers-legs; Fig.- 8, an enlarged section at the line 00 00 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4:, an edge elevation of the device, showing another embodiment of my invention thereof, wherein the levers may be folded upon the body of the device; and Fig. 5, a side view thereof.

In carrying out my invention as embodied in Figs. 1, 2,and 3 I provide two jaws A and B, the heels of which are offset, so as not to interfere with the clamping ofthe jaws, and

near thecentral portion these jaws are bent outward, as indicated at D, the object of which is to clear the seams E of the trousersleg, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Levers F,

here shown as made of U-shaped Wires, are secured to the jaws in any suitable manner and are pivoted together by means of the clips H, through which passes a pivot-Wire I, and two springs J are coiled about this pivotwire, their ends terminatingin hooks K,which engage with the levers F, by means of which the jaws of the clamp are normally thrown inward, thereby taking a firm hold upon the trousers.

It will be seen from Fig. 3 that the bent-out portion or recess D is not exactly in the center of the device, but to one side thereof. This is to permit the jaws to grip the trousers across their entire width and at the same time allow for the seams.

In practice the trousers-legs are placed together so as to bring the creases in proper position, thus causing the seams to lie adjacent each other, and the jaws of the device are then caused to clamp the bottom of these legs, thereby holding them in this position, so that when suspended by engaging one of the levers with a hook or nail the weight of the trousers will be sufficient to gently stretch the legs thereof,'and when left in this suspended position for a considerable length of time will overcome the set which was previously imparted to them by wear.

The embodiment of my invention as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 consists in forming the levers in two parts, ,(indicated at L and M,) the former being secured to the jaws N, while the latter are pivoted at O thereto and extend upward in U form, as clearly shown. By this arrangement the members M of the levers give sufficient purchase to make the opening of the jaws easy and serve as means for suspending the device, but when not thus used may be folded downward, as shown in dotted lines, thus making the device more compact for storing or shipping. Another featureof my invention (shown in Figs. 4 and 5) is the formation of prongs P upon the heels of the jaws, preferably by partially cutting. therefrom a .portion of the stock and bending it inward, and the object of these prongs is to grasp the legs of the trousers should there be a tendency for them to be withdrawn from the clamp.

Among the principal advantages of my im-= provcment is its exceeding simplicity and eheapness of cost and the fact that any one without requiring skill can use the same.

\Vhile I have shown and described my improvement as made entirely of metal, it is obvious that portions thereof can be made of wood.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is 1. In combination, two [lat jaws levers, each consisting of an inner and outer section, each of said inner sections being formed of a single piece of wire bent into U shape, the ends of each of said inner sections being secured to one of the jaws, the arms of said inner sections being coiled centrally to produce eyes, said outer sections being also U- shaped, having their ends bent outwardly and inserted in said eyes, ears on the inner sections, and a pintle run through said ears, as and for the purpose described.

2. In combination two jaws, each having one longitudinal half offset and a recess formed at right angles to said offset portion near the center of the jaw whereby when the jaws are placed face to face a space is formed for the accommodation of the seams of the trousers, and levers secured to the olfset portions of the jaws, said levers being pivoted together, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MICIIAEL F. MAIIONEY \Vitnesscs:

(mo. MoGUnDv, S. \VILLTAMSON. 

